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Union Girl Scout's simple gesture has impact

Tori Snavely, 17, a member of Girl Scout Troop 43 in Union, is trying to achieve the highest recognition in Girl Scouts, the Gold Award. She organized a group of sowers to make 100 seat belt pillows for patients at the Cancer Care Center in Edgewood.

The Girl Scouts Gold Award, that is. A member of Troop 43 in Union, Snavely has completed her project and is now finishing the paperwork to submit for the highest recognition in the Girl Scouts.

A little over 80 hours went into her project – bringing people together to make 100 seat belt pillows for patients at the Cancer Care Center in Edgewood. Seat belt pillows are small cushions that keep seat belts from irritating the area where a patient's port has been installed. Ports are located just under the collar bone and are used when giving a patient chemotherapy and other medicines.

"It feels good to know that someone in the community recognizes what our patients are going through," she said. "When we give out the pillows, it brings a smile to the patient's face when we tell them someone made it to help them. It's just really even more special. It seems like a little thing, but it's the little things that help them through their day to day journey."

According to Snavely, the project was a natural fit. She enjoys sewing and her grandmother had breast cancer. Snavely's aunt also works with the American Cancer Society.

"I just fit in with this project," Snavely, 17, said. "It wasn't me trying to create a project."

Her favorite part of the project was organizing others. She'd teach them to sew and hold sewing-bee sessions where the pillows were made.

"A lot of people are willing to help and give back," she said. "You just have to ask."

The Ryle High School junior said she learned a lot by undertaking this project, most importantly the lesson of giving something to someone else.

"I feel like my generation has lost the idea of service," she said. "Service hours is now a mandatory thing, it's not just something you want to do. That's what it should be about, giving back because you want to."

As part of the requirement for the Gold Award, Snavely had to make her project sustainable – there has to be a lasting impact. So, she recorded an instructional video on how to make the seat belt pillows. She hopes that others who watch the video will be inspired to make a few pillows to show someone else they are cared about. The video can be viewed at http://bit.ly/1n2Paam or by visiting YouTube and searching "How to make a seat belt pillow."